Nyantakyi ban: Akufo-Addo must clear his name – NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, clear his name with regards to the Number 12 undercover documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas which exposed massive corruption in Ghana football.

A statement by the NDC said “FIFA’s decision to ban Mr. Nyantakyi after months of rigorous investigations raises serious questions about the involvement of President Akufo-Addo in the bribery scandal; and also brings to the fore, once again, the need for the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to inform Ghanaians about the status of their investigations into this scandal which has tarnished the image of Ghanaians and Ghana.”

The call by the NDC comes after FIFA on Tuesday handed a lifetime ban to former President of the Ghana Football Association Kwasi Nyantakyi.

According to FIFA, Mr Nyantakyi is banned from all football activities at both national and international level (administrative, sports or any other).

It is recalled Mr Nyantakyi was captured on video asking the undercover journalist who had posed as a businessman to give him $8 million to bribe the president and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

He later in a letter apologised to the president for his indiscretion and subsequently resigned.

But the NDC stated that “unlike FIFA, the government of Ghana has made little effort to look into the matter with a view to bringing culpable officials to book, despite available evidence.

“We find as completely inadequate, the purported investigation by the Police CID whose conduct has served to compromise any outcome. We urge President Akufo-Addo to open himself up for transparent and credible investigations by an independent body to clear his name in the said matter.”

The National Democratic Congress has taken note of FIFA’s lifetime ban imposed on Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi, the former President of the Ghana Football Association and a close confidant of President Akuffo-Addo.

This lifetime ban is the result of painstaking investigations conducted by the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which exposed corruption and bribery involving senior Ghana Football Association officials.

FIFA’s decision to ban Mr. Nyantakyi after months of rigorous investigations raises serious questions about the involvement of President Akufo-Addo in the bribery scandal; and also brings to the fore, once again, the need for the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to inform Ghanaians about the status of their investigations into this scandal which has tarnished the image of Ghanaians and Ghana.

It would be recalled that Mr. Nyantakyi was caught on video revealing very worrying corrupt practices and in the process implicated the President of the Republic, H. E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo as the head of a bribe collection syndicate at the Presidency.

More pointedly, Mr. Nyantakyi was seen in the said tape, arranging for the payment of $ 5 million to the President and similar amounts for several top government officials, in order to facilitate the award of juicy contracts to supposed investors.

Mr. Nyantakyi also suggested in the said video, that such acts have made the President amenable to his influence.

We are appalled, that unlike FIFA, the government of Ghana has made little effort to look into the matter with a view to bringing culpable officials to book, despite available evidence.

We find as completely inadequate, the purported investigation by the Police CID whose conduct has served to compromise any outcome.

We urge President Akufo-Addo to open himself up for transparent and credible investigations by an independent body to clear his name in the said matter.

We expect that government will take a cue from FIFA’s firm action and take steps to put this matter to rest in a manner that restores dignity and confidence in the integrity of the Presidency and our football as a whole.